Download - Walleye Status in Lake Superior Stephen T. Schram Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Lake Superior Fish Community Objectives
Maintain, enhance, and rehabilitate self-sustaining populations of walleye and their habitat over their historical
range.
Walleye Subcommittee• Subcommittee formed - 1994
• Status Report - 1996 – Described historic and current status– Identified current spawning rivers
• Rehabilitation Plan - 2001– Objectives for rehabilitation– Issues and strategies– Routine assessment– Research and assessment needs
Status
• Ontonagon River– Self-sustaining population– Sporadic stocking– Spawning closure April 1-June 10 on the West
Branch
• Lac La Belle– Stocking every other year
Status
• Sturgeon River– Self-sustaining population– Alternate year stocking in Portage Lake
• Huron Bay– Annual maintenance stocking– Assume natural reproduction but not
documented
Status
• Tahquamenon River– Self-sustaining population– Alternate year stocking– 1000 fish tagged in 2001
• Waishkey River– Small population– Stocking in Brimley Bay
Status• Bad River
– Maintain/increase population size– Stock fry and fingerlings– Conduct fall survey
• Kakagon Slough– Maintain/increase population size– Stock fry and fingerlings– Population estimate every 3 years– State fingerling stocking Chequamegon Bay– Bioenergetics study Chequamegon Bay
Status
• St Louis River (including Amnicon River)– Annually monitor population characteristics– Conservative angling regulations– Maintain high population size to buffer
potential adverse impacts from invasive aquatic species
– Consumption advisory
Status
• Pigeon River– Small self-sustaining population
• Pine River– Small self-sustaining population
• Kaministiquia River– River resident population
Status
• Current River– Self-sustaining population– Spawning reef created at river mouth
• Black Bay– Limited adult transfer by sports club– Genetic study in progress– North end of bay has a 0 possession limit
Status
• Black Sturgeon River– Resident river population– Genetic study in progress
• Nipigon Bay– Limited natural reproduction– 0 possession limit– Stocking experiment inconclusive– Resident population in tributaries
Status• Goulais Bay
– Population depressed– Spawn in Goulais River– Fry stocking failed– Restrictive angling regulations
• Batchawana Bay– Population depressed– River spawners
• Montreal River– Small spawning population
Impediments to Rehabilitation
• Lack of data from many Ontario and Michigan areas
• Degraded habitat caused by poor water quality, point and non-point discharge, hydro-electric dams
Impediments to Rehabilitation
• Lack of data from many Ontario and Michigan areas
• Degraded habitat caused by poor water quality, point and non-point discharge, hydro-electric dams
• Spawning areas difficult to sample (e.g. Bad River, remote Ontario rivers)
Impediments to Rehabilitation
• Lack of data from many Ontario and Michigan areas
• Degraded habitat caused by poor water quality, point and non-point discharge, hydro-electric dams
• Spawning areas difficult to sample (e.g. Bad River, remote Ontario rivers)
• Slow growing, age structure skewed toward old fish, highly variable recruitment
Recommended Rehabilitation Strategies
• Total annual mortality should not exceed 45%
• Determine vital statistics of minor populations
Recommended Rehabilitation Strategies
• Total annual mortality should not exceed 45%
• Determine vital statistics of minor populations
• Rehabilitate and /or create spawning habitat
Recommended Rehabilitation Strategies
• Total annual mortality should not exceed 45%
• Determine vital statistics of minor populations
• Rehabilitate and /or create spawning habitat
• Increase implementation of forestry and agricultural practices within watersheds
Recommended Rehabilitation Strategies
• Total annual mortality should not exceed 45%
• Determine vital statistics of minor populations
• Rehabilitate and /or create spawning habitat• Increase implementation of forestry and
agricultural practices within watersheds• Stocking should be done with fingerlings